Non-Intuitive Video Poker

5 November 2022

By Jerry Stickman

Video poker players enjoy the game for many reasons. They enjoy the fact that they have control over the outcome. They enjoy the higher returns usually afforded to them.

Generally, most video poker playing strategy intuitively makes sense. For example, if you are dealt three cards of a royal flush and a 3-9 off-suit, the logical hold is the three cards of the royal flush.

I get many emails from video poker players inquiring why certain strategy plays are not intuitive. This article explores one non-intuitive play and explains the proper play mathematically.

The video poker games included are 9/6 and 8/5 Jacks or Better and 8/5 Bonus poker.

One of the top inquiries from readers is about holding a suited ace/10.

The playing strategies for each of the three games call for holding a suited ace and face card. They each call for holding an unsuited ace and face card. However, when the originally dealt hand contains and Ace/10 and garbage, they each call for holding the solo ace.

None of the strategies call for holding a suited ace/10 instead of the ace alone.

Following this strategy means the player throws away any chance for a royal flush. How can that be a good move?

Let us find out.

- Statistics for holding the suited ace/10
o 16,215 possible final hands
? 2,955 high pairs
? 711 hands with two pairs
? 281 hands with three of a kind
? 63 straights
? 164 flushes
? 18 full houses

? 2 hands with four of a kind
? Bonus Poker:
- 1 hand with four 10s
- 0 hands with four 2s, 3s, or 4s
- 1 hand with four aces
? Jacks or Better:
- 2 hands with four of a kind
? 0 straight flushes
? 1 royal flush

- Statistics for holding the lone ace:
o 178,365 possible final hands - 11 times as many as A/10
? 45,456 high pairs - ~ 15 times as many
? 8,874 hands with two pairs - ~ 12.5 times
? 4,102 hands with three of a kind - ~ 14.5 times
? 335 straights - ~ 5 times
? 329 flushes - ~ 2 times
? 288 full houses - ~ 16 times
? 52 hands with four of a kind – 26 times
? Bonus Poker:
- 6 hands with four 5s thru kings – 6 times
- 2 hands with four 2s, 3s, or 4s – 2 more
- 44 hands with four aces – 22 times
? Jacks or Better:
- 52 hands with four of a kind – 26 times
? 1 straight flush – 1 more
? 0 royal flushes – 1 less

Holding the lone ace produces, on average, more hands with:
• a high pair
• two pairs
• three of a kind
• a full house
• four 2s, 3s, or 4s
• four aces
• a straight flush

This hold produces, on average, fewer hands with:
• a straight
• a flush
• four 5s thru kings
• a royal flush.

The total average returns for the hands are close.

9/6 Jacks or Better:
- Holding the lone ace returns 2.3255 credits for the original five credits bet on average.
- Holding the suited Ace/10 returns 2.3028 credits for the original five credits on average.

8/5 Jacks or Better:
- Holding the lone ace returns 2.3082 credits for the original five credits bet on average
- Holding the suited Ace/10 returns 2.2467 credits for the original five credits on average.

8/5 Bonus Poker:
- Holding the lone ace returns 2.3769 credits for the original five credits bet on average.
- Holding the suited Ace/10 returns 2.2636 credits for the original five credits on average.


Holding the lone ace is a better hold simply because of all the additional final hands that are possible. The combined additional hands outperform holding the ace/10 even without the possibility of a royal flush.

Summary

While it may appear logical to hold the suited ace/10 as they are two cards of a royal flush, there are about 11 times more possible hands produced by holding the lone ace. These hands more than offset throwing away a possible royal flush.

It is tough for many players to eliminate any possibility of a royal flush, but when dealt a suited ace/10, it is the right play.

As always, may all your wins be swift and large, and your losses be slow and small.

Jerry “Stickman”

Jerry “Stickman” is an expert in craps, blackjack and video poker and advantage slot machine play. He is a regular contributor to top gaming magazines. He authored the video poker section of “Everything Casino Poker: Get the Edge at Video Poker, Texas Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, and Pai Gow Poker!” You can contact Jerry “Stickman” at stickmanjerryg@gmail.com